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Why I left an Evangelical Cult -- Ted Talk


Rocky
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8 hours ago, WordWolf said:

Times like this, evaluating a repeating pattern of "sincerity" and later broken promises, I am reminded of a song (a tango) by Celedonio Nicanor Compagnucci, "You've Cheated Me Again,"    ("Argentine tango, the sad song of the abandoned man.")

 

"You've made a thousand promises of a future without fetter.

That everything would change, that our love would be better.

You made great plans, that any other love would be absurd.

Ours would be the best ever heard, this time you'd keep your word.

A word sticks in my throat:  'Why?  Why?'

If nothing has changed,

Why did I give you my vote?"

 

 

Enjoy!

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3 hours ago, Taxidev said:

Well, in just two pages of posts, I have watched the bodies pile up around me, and there seems to be more waiting in the wings.  It pains me to think about all this having gone on in the name of Christian love.  I'm just glad I was nowhere near it.  I'm sure you met some wonderful people along the way, but obviously so many evil people also.  I can only say I've met a few that were off the wall, but many wonderful ones.

What an education in history this has been for me.  Like reading the true accounts of slavery, and the true accounts of Columbus in the Caribbean.  The only reason to learn about history is to avoid repeating the bad parts.

It seems to me that I have nothing more to contribute to this thread, but I will gladly continue to read what you all post, even if I'm not so glad about what I'm reading.  I won't be commenting, but I might ask questions.

I appreciate what you’ve said, Taxidev…you’ve brought up a very interesting point – learning history to avoid repeating mistakes. Amen to that. I can honestly say that I have lived a life in good conscience before God. And I’m not saying I’m anything special or a goody-two-shoes. I knew a lot of good honest folks when I was in TWI…so maybe there’s something to birds of a feather flock together…the reason I left TWI was not because I suddenly grew a conscience and wanted to “change my evil ways” but rather - after some time of study, reflection and investigation following the implosion in 1986 - I could no longer in good conscience continue to endorse or support TWI’s doctrine and practice.

I also wanted to leave you with a few thoughts about that experience.

I think what did more damage to my faith than anything else – was when I started to realize the utter hypocrisy of top leadership. Maybe that’s some of the dangers of wolves in sheep’s clothing and bad trees that Jesus Christ warned us about in Matthew 7  and of the damage they could bring to one’s faith – causing them to stumble as in Matthew 18 ...

While I had tried my best to live the Christian lifestyle – I had come to learn that a certain upper echelon (the Board of Trustees) did not …they were the consummate hypocrites...see Matthew 23 ...

… there’s nothing like the spiritual betrayal by hypocrites to blow your faith out of the water. Finding out they had a double standard was a real eye-opener! I had trusted them to teach me the Word...I believed they were like the pillars of the church...I believe they walked with God...I was BETRAYED !

While us average Joes sought to please God in our walk - those top leadership bozos (Board of Trustees) felt free to do whatever to gratify their flesh, egos, and personal agenda – and they used whatever means necessary to maintain their presumptuous superiority over the followers of The Way International – whether it was  lies, manipulation, coercion, threats, badgering, berating, character assassination, etc.

 

So yeah, I definitely have a jaded view of anything even remotely related to wierwille and The Way International. Sometimes I find myself praying along the lines of “Lord, I believe…and help my unbelief.”

I think everyone has something to contribute on Grease Spot. And it’s a give and take process going on all the time. Taxidev, always feel free to share your experiences and ask all the questions you want.

Edited by T-Bone
formatting and clarity
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2 hours ago, Rocky said:

Enjoy!

I'd enjoy if I had a clue to what I was supposed to enjoy.  My security's so high, hotlinking doesn't display. I have a notice to "enjoy" and I can bring up a placeholder for a video.  If you include a normal link with it, I can see what you wanted to link.  Was it the original song?

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3 hours ago, Taxidev said:

Well, in just two pages of posts, I have watched the bodies pile up around me, and there seems to be more waiting in the wings.  It pains me to think about all this having gone on in the name of Christian love.  I'm just glad I was nowhere near it.  I'm sure you met some wonderful people along the way, but obviously so many evil people also.  I can only say I've met a few that were off the wall, but many wonderful ones.

What an education in history this has been for me.  Like reading the true accounts of slavery, and the true accounts of Columbus in the Caribbean.  The only reason to learn about history is to avoid repeating the bad parts.

It seems to me that I have nothing more to contribute to this thread, but I will gladly continue to read what you all post, even if I'm not so glad about what I'm reading.  I won't be commenting, but I might ask questions.

Speaking for myself, I think it's wonderful you're so blessed locally.  For now.  Based on the usual pattern, I'm "waiting for the other shoe to drop." In twi/extwi, it's COMMON for a local group to start out all blessed, then s-l-o-w-l-y (or not so gradually)  change in small steps as more control is passed up the ladder, until the person wakes up one morning and finds they're a money-generating cog in a profit-driven machine.  So, I'd keep an eye out for the first few steps.

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3 hours ago, WordWolf said:

I'd enjoy if I had a clue to what I was supposed to enjoy.  My security's so high, hotlinking doesn't display. I have a notice to "enjoy" and I can bring up a placeholder for a video.  If you include a normal link with it, I can see what you wanted to link.  Was it the original song?

A youtube video with the "You've cheated me again" song, in Spanish. https://youtu.be/FszGkbwvJ1Y

 

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On 5/8/2018 at 9:39 PM, T-Bone said:

I appreciate what you’ve said, Taxidev…you’ve brought up a very interesting point – learning history to avoid repeating mistakes. Amen to that.

"The only thing we learn from history is that mankind learns nothing from history" - Stephen R Donaldson

:spy:

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